President acts to help rape victim

MIRPURKHAS, April 27,2005: The President’s Secretariat has taken notice of an application narrating the ordeal of an eight-year-old girl who was criminally assaulted by an influential person of Naobad village in district of Sanghar and denied medical facilities by the administration of Tando Adam taluka hospital.

The President Secretariat has directed the chief secretary and the IGP, Sindh, to take legal action against doctors as well as the local police for their failure to help the victim.
According to Fazal Qadir Baloch, chairman, Pakistan Human Rights Foundation, the President’s Secretariat had intimated him through a letter in response to his application sent to Islamabad.

Mr Baloch said that on March 17, 2005, an influential person of the Naoabad village, Mohammad Hashim Mughal, had allegedly criminally assaulted a girl child identified as A. M. aged 8.When the victim girl was admitted to the Tando Adam taluka hospital, doctors and the administration of the hospital did not provide treatment to her due to the influence of the accused.

He claimed that his organization shifted the victim to the Sanghar civil hospital. However, Tando Adam police were compelled to register a case on March 19, 2005 under section 10-3 of the Zina and Hudood Ordinance on the complaint of victim’s father only after a procession had been taken out against the excesses. He said that the accused was arrested and challaned in the court. He said that on March 28, some armed persons attacked his office in Mirpurkhas as a result he sustained minor injuries while both the attackers were caught by his colleagues.

Town police were called in and ASI Amin Mari took both attackers identified as Ahmed Ali Qaim Khani and Kirshan Lal to the police station who were released without registration of FIR.